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“Damn, Onyeka Okongwu is a bust already?”: Hawks rookie confidently calls out his doubters after playing well against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in a Game 4 win

Samir Mehdi
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“Damn, Onyeka Okongwu is a bust already?”: Hawks rookie confidently calls out his doubters after playing well against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in a Game 4 win

Onyeka Okongwu claims he sees people calling him a bust on Twitter and Instagram and thinks, “Damn, am I already a bust in the NBA?” 

The Atlanta Hawks used their number 6 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft on the center that played alongside the famous, Lonzo Ball-led Chino Hills team in 2016. Onyeka Okongwu slowly become a player of his own in his time at USC and rose up the draft rankings to play himself well into the lottery. The Hawks didn’t hesitate and made it clear Okongwu was there’s for the taking. 

Surprisingly, though he was deemed a project due to his lack of offensive capabilities, he saw a decent amount of playing time. He averaged 12 mpg and put up about 5 points a game. This also stemmed from the fact that guys like DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish missed time due to injury throughout the season.

Also read: “Stop treating Deandre Ayton like a white dwarf”: Lakers legend Mychal Thompson pulls out astronomy analogies to explain how Chris Paul and Monty Williams are misusing the Suns center

Though he did show off his defensive versatility and his overall defensive prowess during his playing time, fans online weren’t kind to the 20 year old. Onyeka Okongwu however, took the insults on the chin. 

Onyeka Okongwu doesn’t look at any of the hate he receives online. 

Onyeka Okongwu isn’t all too big of a social media fanatic like other 20 year olds of this generation. However, he was not able to escape the noise surrounding his capabilities to justify being the number 6 overall pick in a draft.  

Okongwu said, “On Twitter, Instagram, people were tagging me saying, ‘O’s a bust, Okongwu’s a bust, right?’ And, I’m just looking at my phone like, ‘Damn, already?’ People are going to end up deleting all those tweets. I don’t really feed into it because the Hawks know what I bring to the table.”

Also read: “Scottie Pippen is the water and I’m the bridge”: Shaquille O’Neal roasted the Bulls legend in a 2016 Instagram faceoff

Onyeka Okongwu has played valuable backup center minutes to Clint Capela and has shown off both his ability to catch lobs and roll to the rim when need be. His defense has been great, as expected. The series between the Bucks and the Hawks is tied at 2 a piece and Okongwu has played a part in that. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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